Michal s vietnamskými koreňmi: Otca som nemohol legálne pochovať. Na papieri neexistoval 

(English version below)

Michal Novotný, verejnosti známy skôr ako „Yaksha“, je rodák z Martina. Otec pochádzal z Vietnamu, no vietnamskú stranu rodiny Michal spoznal až po jeho smrti.

Hneď po strednej škole založil jeden z prvých streetwearových obchodov na Slovensku, bol často bookovaným DJ-om, neskôr CEO prestížneho vydavateľstva Def Jam Recordings. Vlastní kreatívnu agentúru LOVE THEM a svetoznámy hudobný label F*CK THEM, ktorý má na YouTube viac ako miliardu videní. Stál za zrodom známych svetových a slovenských interpretov a ako kreatívec pracuje pre najväčšie mená a značky v biznise. Je milovník módy, umenia a aktívneho športu.

Angažuje sa v komunite slovenských Vietnamcov a Vietnamiek, ktorá prepája prvú, druhú aj neskoršiu generáciu vietnamských prišelcov.

Váš otec bol Vietnamec, mama Slovenka. Aká je história vašej rodiny?

Babka a dedo boli potomkovia cirkusantov a kolotočiarov. V Humennom, kde v tom čase vystupovali, sa im narodila mama. Ich vzťah nefungoval a rozišli sa. Babka si našla druhého kočovníka, ktorý síce nemal cirkus, ale brúsil skalpely pre doktorov v nemocniciach a opravoval dáždniky. Cestovali po mestách, kde boli nemocnice. V dnešnej dobe si neviem predstaviť, že by niekto v maringotke brúsil skalpel.

Ako mama spoznala vášho vietnamského otca? Bolo to v osemdesiatych rokoch minulého storočia.

Neviem to úplne presne. Narodil som sa, keď mala devätnásť, s otcom sa dali dokopy pravdepodobne o rok skôr. Kolovali vtipy, že ju zbalil, lebo nosil rifle a digitálky na ruke. To bolo ale asi všetko, čo vlastnil, na Slovensko prišiel s igelitkou. V skutočnosti to pravdepodobne nebola žiadna veľká romantika ani nič špeciálne. Narazili na seba v Martine na diskotéke alebo počas priateľských stretnutí na internáte, kde mama v nejakom období žila. Vietnamci sem vtedy prichádzali na výmenné študijné pobyty. Otec študoval v Martine strojárinu.

Prečo si vybral práve Slovensko?

Jeho mama pôsobila ako profesorka na vietnamskej vysokej škole. Ako matka niekoľkých detí dostala ponuku, že jedno z nich môže odísť na študijný pobyt do inej spriatelenej socialistickej krajiny. Poslala to najstaršie, pretože bola veľká šanca, že sa vráti kvôli ďalším súrodencom.

A vrátil sa? 

Otcovi sa tu zapáčilo, ale neskoršie sa pokúsil do Vietnamu vrátiť. Nezvládal však tamojšie podnebie. Bolo mu tam veľmi teplo, necítil sa komfortne, tak prišiel späť na Slovensko.

Takže ostali s vašou mamou žiť na Slovensku?

Nie. Vôbec im to spolu nešlo, mali hrozný vzťah. Myslím, že to boli ľudia, ktorí sa mali stretnúť iba preto, aby sme sa so sestrou narodili. Nemyslím to v zlom, som veľmi rád, že mám sestru a že si neničili život dlho. Mama raz dokonca nechala otca zo Slovenska vyhostiť. Potom si však uvedomila, že by nebolo správne, ak by deti vyrastali bez otca. Olgu Havlovú požiadala o zrušenie vyhostenia. Do Prahy sme šli spolu s ňou, hralo sa na city. Cestovali sme nočným vlakom. Pamätám si to veľmi živo, lebo v pražských predajniach predávali barbiny (bábika Barbie, pozn. red.) od Mattela.

A podarilo sa otcove vyhostenie zrušiť?

Vďaka tomu, že mali spolu dve deti, sa to podarilo. Bolo to ale oveľa komplikovanejšie. Mama si medzitým našla nového partnera. Otcovho kamaráta, tiež Vietnamca. Svadba ale nakoniec prebehla, lebo babka nástojila na tom, aby sa mama s otcom zobrali. Že už bolo všetko pripravené a naplánované, otec dostal povolenie vrátiť sa späť, a všetko smerovalo k tomu, že sa vráti k rodine a vezmú sa. Na svadbu prišili otec s mamou, ktorí sa vôbec nechceli zobrať, ako aj ten druhý Vietnamec, s ktorým sa mama nakoniec rozišla. Svadobná fotka nevyzerá najšťastnejšie. Skúsili potom spolu nejaké obdobie žiť, ale vzťahy boli už natoľko narušené, že nemohli spolu vydržať.

Otec nakoniec od vás odišiel. Boli ste s ním v kontakte?

Súdy sa ťahali veľmi dlho a otec na nás po tom všetkom zanevrel. Aj keď žil v Martine rovnako ako my, roky sme o ňom nevedeli vôbec nič. Iba občas niečo z počutia.

Pokúsili ste sa s ním spojiť v staršom veku?

O otca som sa vždy zaujímal. Z toho, čo sa stalo, mama a babka cítili veľkú krivdu. Vyrastal som v tom, že otec bol ten zlý a ja stojím na dobrej strane. Počas dospievania som zisťoval, že pravda má dve strany, a snažil sa po ňom pátrať. Potom mi raz napísal list, v ktorom sa za všetko ospravedlňoval. V tom čase ho držali v Medveďove (Útvar policajného zaistenia pre cudzincov, pozn. red.). Chceli ho vyhostiť, lebo narobil nejaké prúsery. Z Medveďova sa mu podarilo dostať a navštevoval som ho v Bratislave.

Čo otec robil v Bratislave?

Žil na Nobelovej, čo bolo a aj stále je také centrum pre Vietnamcov. Keď som za ním prvýkrát prišiel, čakal ma na stanici a vzal na phočko (vietnamská hovädzia polievka phở bò, pozn. red.) do tajného bistra, ktoré doteraz funguje. Na phočko tam chodím doteraz, snáď už 25 rokov. Ale čo robil v Bratislave, doposiaľ neviem. Myslím, že to nebolo nič kóšer, lebo musel odtiaľto ujsť.

To bolo obdobie, keď vycestoval do Švédska?

Áno. Ďalší zamotaný príbeh. Vo Švédsku žil sám a zomrel veľmi nešťastnou náhodou, zjedol jedovaté huby. Pre Vietnamcov je veľmi typické, že sú bylinkári, vedia, čo jesť, ako sa liečiť, kadečo pripraviť. Otec bol zvyknutý a presvedčený, že huby sú jedlé. Nevedel som, ako jeho pozostatky previezť na Slovensko, pretože vo Švédsku žil ilegálne, mal dokonca inú identitu. Na papieri skrátka neexistoval. Nakoniec môj známy, ktorý odtiaľ letel, skúsil vziať urnu a podarilo sa mu ho tajne dopraviť na Slovensko. Potom prišiel ďalší problém. Ako pochovať človeka, ktorý vlastne neexistuje? Skúšal som to legálnou cestou, oslovil som ministerstvo zahraničných vecí. Nakoniec som musel kúpiť miesto na cintoríne pre seba a pochovať ho tam.

Mali ste vôbec šancu spoznať vietnamskú vetvu rodiny?

Áno, ale až po otcovej smrti. Ako najstarší syn som si splnil nepísanú povinnosť tým, že som ho pochoval. Rovnako som to chcel oznámiť aj jeho rodine. Cez nejakých Vietnamcov žijúcich v Martine, ktorí otca v minulosti poznali, sa mi nakoniec podarilo získať kontakt na otcovu sestru. Tej sme to oznámili. Otec mal ešte ďalšiu sestru a dvoch bratov. Sestra prijala správu chladne a nevedeli sme, či sa k ostatným vôbec dostane. Spomenul som jej, že plánujeme cestu do Vietnamu, ale nejavila o nás veľký záujem. S mojou partnerkou a sestrou sme sa tam vybrali na dovolenku. Povedali sme si, že ak sa s nimi stretneme pri obede alebo káve, bude super. Nič sme nesilili. Nakoniec to bol happy end ako z telenovely. Úplne nám nabúrali plány, rušili sme výlety. Strávili sme s nimi väčšinu času, čo sme boli vo Vietname. Ťahali nás po skrytých lokálnych miestach, jedli sme, stále sa zoznamovali s ďalšou rodinou, všetci sa chodili na nás pozerať. Vtedy sme už cítili, že sme súčasťou rodiny.

Prekvapilo vás niečo na vašej rodine?

Celý život som zažíval, že keď mi niekto na rodinnej oslave či dovolenke predstavil moju tetu, bola blondína, ujovia zas ryšaví. Tu ma prekvapilo, že ešte aj susedia vyzerali ako moja rodina, akurát som bol o hlavu a pol vyšší. Bolo to milé.

Stále ste s nimi v kontakte?

Sme, ale nastala nepríjemná situácia. Keď ma spoznali a začali sledovať na sociálnych sieťach, zistili, že vediem úspešný život. Nikdy som z ich strany ale necítil, že by to chceli zneužívať. Prišiel covid, strýkova firma sa dostala do finančných problémov a požiadal ma, či by som mu nemohol požičať väčšiu čiastku peňazí. Bolo to veľmi nepríjemné, ale v tom období išlo o celosvetový problém, tak som im jednoducho pomohol. Odvtedy prerušili kontakt. Myslím si, že mi ich nemôžu vrátiť, tak si zvolili takúto jednoduchšiu cestu. Navštívil som ich ešte raz, chcel som vidieť babku. Je chorá, umiestnili ju v nejakom ústave. Dokonca som prízvukoval, že s nimi nechcem riešiť peniaze, aby sa necítili zle. Stretnutie však bolo už iba také zdvorilostné, bolo cítiť, že vzťahy sú pošramotené. Momentálne sme vo veľmi slabom kontakte. Raz alebo dvakrát do roka nám iba odpíšu, že babka je v poriadku.

Prevzali ste niečo z vietnamskej kultúry a zaviedli do svojho života?

Žiaľ nie. Asi to vyznie po tom všetkom, čo som povedal, blbo, ale zdá sa mi, že vo Vietname ľuďom záleží na rodinných vzťahoch, na spoločne strávenom čase. Celý víkend spolu obedujú a večerajú, trvá to niekedy aj štyri hodiny. Keď sme tam prvýkrát prišli, boli sme takí hladní, že za pätnásť minút sme zjedli všetkých tých päťdesiat misiek, ktoré pred nás položili. Nevedeli sme ani dýchať a potom sme sa štyri hodiny pozerali, ako jedia a rozprávajú sa.

Máte obľúbené nejaké vietnamské jedlo?

Z jedál mám najradšej thịt kho, dusený bravčový bôčik s vajíčkami. Bún bò nam bộ (vietnamská špecialita, ktorá obsahuje jemné hovädzie mäso, ryžové rezance, čerstvú zeleninu a bylinky, pozn. red.), a phở bò sú také klasiky. Veľmi mi chutí aj ich omeleta s krevetami, mätou a koriandrom. Trhá sa rukami a namáča do omáčky. Páči sa mi, že väčšinu autentickej vietnamskej stravy tvoria bylinky či zelenina. Pestujú ich vo svojich záhradách. Jedia aj mäso, ale musí obsahovať tuk, kosť či chrupavku, aby to chrúmalo. Prekvapilo ma však, že jedia málo ryže. Keď som sa pýtal prečo, odpovedali, že radšej si dajú pivo, načo plniť žalúdok ryžou. Podávajú ho v pollitrových pohároch s obrovskou kockou ľadu. Vtipné je, že vždy keď sa chce niekto napiť, štrngnúť si a napiť sa musia všetci. Na jednej strane to je trochu otravné, na druhej sú všetci viac-menej rovnako opití.

Vy sa na Slovensku stretávate pri vietnamskom jedle s členmi a členkami komunity Vietnamské korene, ktorej ste súčasťou. Ako fungujete?

Jedna z členiek vlastní street food bistro Phočkáreň, takže o autentické vietnamské jedlo máme postarané. Oslovili ma pred dvoma rokmi, či by som im nepomohol s organizáciou festivalu Deň Vietnamu. Bol som veľmi rád, že ma registrujú a môžem pomôcť. Zakladatelia pochádzajú zo staršej generácie a chápu, že treba do aktivít zapájať aj mladých, pretože sú šikovní. Stretávame sa pravidelne a riešime, s čím vie kto pomôcť. Napríklad, keď sme sa snažili, aby bola vietnamská menšina uznaná na Slovensku za oficiálnu, bavili sme sa, kto má aké možnosti.

To sa po vašom dvojročnom úsilí podarilo minulý rok v júni. Ako ste to vnímali?

Veľmi som sa tešil. A bol som rád, že som k tomu mohol prispieť.

Pracujete od svojich osemnástich rokov. Pôsobíte v kreatívnom, hudobnom, umeleckom a módnom priemysle, máte množstvo followerov a followeriek na sociálnych sieťach. Na aký úspech ste najviac hrdý?

Keď som sa raz svojich followerov na Instagrame pýtal, čo z môjho obsahu ich najviac zaujalo, väčšina písala, že ich motivujem viac k starostlivosti o seba samých a k pohybu. Podarilo sa mi takto rozhýbať veľkú skupinu ľudí, ktorí mi pomáhajú rozhýbať zase ďalších. Som rád, že to nie je len o mne. Napríklad som začal behať. Prvé tri mesiace sme behali piati. Momentálne každý týždeň vybieha pod značkou LTRC päťsto-šesto ľudí z tridsiatich piatich klubov po celom svete. Som hrdý, že dokážem zodpovedne pracovať so svojím dosahom.

Verejne o sebe hovoríte, že ste úspešný a bohatý. Mnoho ľudí s týmto statusom sa najmä v zahraničí venuje filantropii. Podporujete nejakú organizáciu, iniciatívu alebo pomáhate niekomu v núdzi?

Keď naša mama ochorela, veľa času s ňou sme trávili v hospici. Stretli sme tam veľa dobrovoľníkov, ktorí pomáhali. Sestra niesla jej smrť veľmi ťažko, tak som jej navrhol, aby si dala pauzu od práce a venovala sa sebe. V tom čase začala chodiť do hospicu, potom do útulkov, nakoniec do detského domova v Kolárove. Chcela robiť na rôznych charitatívnych projektoch, tak som jej s tým začal pomáhať. Vždy v lete k sebe berieme z detského domova z Kolárova dve-tri deti, každé na týždeň. Pre deti z domova každoročne zháňame vianočné darčeky. Mám niekde fotku, na ktorej je asi šesťsto darčekov v mojej obývačke. Nejde však o staré veci, ktoré nikto nechce. Detí sa pýtame, čo si pod stromček želajú, a posielajú nám konkrétne priania aj s linkom na web. Potom tie darčeky zháňame, kupujeme, balíme, kontrolujeme, či sme na niekoho nezabudli, a odvezieme deťom. S kamarátmi z pekárne Kruh pečieme na Mikuláša panettone (taliansky vianočný koláč, pozn. red.) a nesieme ich deťom. V pekárni som naposledy odrobil tri nočné. Čiže filantropia nie je primárny cieľ môjho života, skôr pomáham sestre. Ona je tá duša projektov, ja ten operatívec. Máme veľmi blízky vzťah a snažím sa ju podporovať.

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Michal with Vietnamese Roots: I Couldn’t Legally Bury My Father. He Didn’t Exist on Paper

Michal Novotný, better known as “Yaksha” to the public, is a native of Martin. His father was from Vietnam, but Michal only got to know his Vietnamese side of the family after his father’s death.

Right after high school, Michal opened one of the first streetwear stores in Slovakia. He was a frequently booked DJ, later became the CEO of the prestigious Def Jam Recordings label, and owns the creative agency LOVE THEM and the globally renowned music label F*CK THEM, which has over a billion views on YouTube. He has been instrumental in launching the careers of several famous Slovak and international artists and works as a creative for some of the biggest names and brands in the business. He’s a lover of fashion, art, and active sports.

He is also involved in the community of Slovak Vietnamese, connecting the first, second, and later generations of Vietnamese immigrants.

Your father was Vietnamese, and your mother Slovak. What’s your family’s history?

My grandmother and grandfather were descendants of circus performers. My mom was born in Humenné while they were performing there. Their relationship didn’t work out, and they split. My grandmother found another traveller, who didn’t have a circus, but he sharpened scalpels for doctors in hospitals and repaired umbrellas. They travelled to towns with hospitals. Today, I can’t imagine someone sharpening scalpels in a caravan.

How did your mother meet your Vietnamese father? It was in the 1980s, right?

I don’t know exactly. I was born when she was 19, and they probably got together a year earlier. There were jokes that he won her over because he wore jeans and a digital watch. But that was probably all he had, as he came to Slovakia with just a plastic bag. In reality, it was likely no grand romance or anything special. They met at a disco or during friendly gatherings in a dormitory in Martin, where my mom lived for a time. Vietnamese people came here on exchange study programs. My father was studying mechanical engineering in Martin.

Why did he choose Slovakia?

His mother was a professor at a Vietnamese university. As a mother of several children, she was offered the chance to send one of them on a study exchange to another socialist-friendly country. She sent the eldest because there was a big chance he would return for his siblings.

Did he return?

He liked it here, but later he tried to return to Vietnam. However, he couldn’t handle the climate there. It was too hot for him, and he didn’t feel comfortable, so he came back to Slovakia.

So, did they stay together and live in Slovakia?

No. They didn’t get along at all; they had a terrible relationship. I think they were only meant to meet so that my sister and I could be born. I don’t mean this in a bad way; I’m very happy I have my sister, and I’m glad they didn’t destroy each other’s lives for too long. My mom even had my dad deported from Slovakia at one point. But then she realized it wasn’t right for the kids to grow up without their father. She asked Olga Havlová to overturn the deportation. We travelled to Prague with her, playing on emotions. We took the night train. I remember it vividly because they were selling Mattel Barbies in Prague shops.

Were you able to get the deportation overturned?

Thanks to the fact they had two children together, it worked out. But it was much more complicated. In the meantime, my mom found a new partner, my dad’s friend, also a Vietnamese man. However, the wedding with my father happened because my grandmother insisted they should get married. Everything was already planned, my father had received permission to return, and it seemed they would reunite as a family and get married. The wedding took place with both my parents, who didn’t want to marry each other, and the other Vietnamese man my mom later broke up with. The wedding photo doesn’t look the happiest. They tried living together for a while, but the relationship was already so damaged that they couldn’t stay together.

Your father eventually left. Were you in contact with him?

The court proceedings dragged on for a long time, and my father became estranged from us. Even though he lived in Martin, like we did, we didn’t hear from him for years, except through occasional rumours.

Did you try to reconnect with him later?

I was always interested in my father. My mom and grandmother felt deeply wronged by what had happened, so I grew up with the narrative that my father was the bad one, and I was on the good side. As I grew older, I realized there are always two sides to a story, so I tried to find him. He eventually wrote me a letter apologizing for everything. At that time, he was being held in Medveďov (a detention centre for foreigners). They wanted to deport him because he had gotten into some trouble. He managed to get out of Medveďov, and I started visiting him in Bratislava.

What did your father do in Bratislava?

He lived on Nobelova Street, which was, and still is, a hub for the Vietnamese community. When I first visited him, he picked me up at the station and took me to a secret bistro for pho (Vietnamese beef soup phở bò) that’s still open. I’ve been going there for 25 years. But I still don’t know what he did in Bratislava. I think it wasn’t anything legal because he had to flee.

Was this when he went to Sweden?

Yes. Another complicated story. He lived alone in Sweden and died there tragically, accidentally eating poisonous mushrooms. For Vietnamese people, it’s typical to be herbalists and know what to eat and how to heal themselves. My father was convinced the mushrooms were edible. I didn’t know how to bring his remains back to Slovakia because he lived illegally in Sweden under a different identity. On paper, he didn’t exist. In the end, a friend of mine who was flying back tried to bring the urn, and he managed to smuggle it to Slovakia. Then came another issue—how to bury someone who didn’t exist legally? I tried doing it legally, reaching out to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the end, I had to buy a burial plot for myself and bury him there.

Did you get a chance to meet the Vietnamese side of your family?

Yes, but only after my father’s death. As the eldest son, I fulfilled the unwritten obligation of burying him. I also wanted to inform his family. Through some Vietnamese people living in Martin who knew my father, I finally got in touch with his sister. We informed her. My father had another sister and two brothers. His sister took the news coldly, and we weren’t sure if it would reach the others. I mentioned we were planning a trip to Vietnam, but she didn’t seem very interested in us. My partner, sister, and I went on vacation there. We thought if we met them for lunch or coffee, it would be nice, but we didn’t push it. In the end, it was a happy ending, like a telenovela. They completely rearranged our plans, and we canceled trips. We spent most of our time with them, visiting hidden local spots, eating together, and constantly meeting more family members who came to see us. We really felt like part of the family.

Was there anything surprising about your family?

All my life, at family events or vacations, when I was introduced to my aunt, she was blonde, and my uncles were redheads. Here, even the neighbours looked like my family, except I was a head and a half taller. It was nice.

Are you still in touch with them?

We are, but an uncomfortable situation arose. Once they got to know me and started following me on social media, they saw that I lived a successful life. I never felt like they wanted to take advantage of that. But during COVID, my uncle’s business ran into financial trouble, and he asked if I could lend him a significant sum of money. It was awkward, but since it was a global problem at the time, I simply helped them out. After that, they cut off contact. I think they can’t repay me, so they chose the easier route. I visited them once more because I wanted to see my grandmother, who was sick and placed in a care facility. I even stressed that I didn’t want to discuss money so they wouldn’t feel bad. But the meeting was more formal, and the relationship had clearly soured. Currently, we’re in very minimal contact, and once or twice a year, they just let us know that grandma is okay.

Did you adopt any aspects of Vietnamese culture into your life?

Unfortunately, no. It might sound bad after everything I’ve said, but it seems to me that in Vietnam, family relationships and spending time together are highly valued. They spend the whole weekend having long meals together, sometimes lasting four hours. The first time we went there, we were so hungry that in 15 minutes, we ate all the 50 bowls they put in front of us. We couldn’t even breathe afterward, and then we spent four hours watching them eat and chat.

Do you have any favorite Vietnamese dishes?

Of the dishes, I love thịt kho, which is braised pork belly with eggs. Bún bò nam bộ (a Vietnamese dish with tender beef, rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and herbs), and phở bò are classics. I also really like their omelet with shrimp, mint, and cilantro. You tear it by hand and dip it into a sauce. I make all these dishes at home. A Vietnamese colleague who worked for me, Binh, taught me how to make them. The whole family knew him because he often cooked for us. We had a Vietnamese grandma cooking in our kitchen.

You often meet with members of the Vietnamese Roots community for Vietnamese food here in Slovakia, of which you are a part. How does it work?

One of the members owns a street food bistro called Phočkáreň, so we’re well taken care of in terms of authentic Vietnamese food. They approached me two years ago to see if I could help organize the Vietnam Day festival. I was very pleased that they knew of me and that I could contribute. The founders are from the older generation, and they understand that young people need to be involved in these activities because they are talented. We meet regularly and discuss how each of us can help. For example, when we were trying to have the Vietnamese minority officially recognized in Slovakia, we talked about who had what options to contribute.

After two years of effort, this was achieved last June. How did you feel about it?

I was happy. And I was glad I could contribute to it.

You’ve been working since you were eighteen. You’re involved in the creative, music, art, and fashion industries, and you have many followers on social media. What achievement are you most proud of?

When I once asked my followers on Instagram what of my content they found most interesting, most of them said I motivate them to take better care of themselves and be more active. I’ve managed to get a large group of people moving, who in turn help get others moving. I’m happy that it’s not just about me. For example, I started running. The first three months, there were five of us running. Now, every week, 500-600 people from 35 clubs around the world run under the LTRC brand. I’m proud that I can responsibly manage my influence.

You publicly describe yourself as successful and wealthy. Many people with this status, especially abroad, engage in philanthropy. Do you support any organization, initiative, or help someone in need?

When our mother got sick, we spent a lot of time with her in a hospice. We met many volunteers who were helping there. My sister had a really hard time dealing with her death, so I suggested she take a break from work and focus on herself. During that time, she started going to the hospice, then to animal shelters, and eventually to a children’s home in Kolárovo. She wanted to work on various charitable projects, so I began helping her with that. Every summer, we take two or three children from the children’s home in Kolárovo, each for a week. Every year, we also collect Christmas gifts for the kids from the home. I have a photo somewhere with about six hundred gifts in my living room. But these aren’t old things that no one wants. We ask the children what they wish for under the Christmas tree, and they send us specific requests with links to websites. Then we search for the gifts, buy them, wrap them, check if we haven’t forgotten anyone, and deliver them to the children. With friends from the Kruh bakery, we bake panettone (an Italian Christmas cake, editor’s note) for St. Nicholas Day and bring them to the children. I worked three-night shifts in the bakery last time. So, philanthropy isn’t the main goal of my life; rather, I help my sister. She’s the heart of these projects, and I’m the operative. We have a very close relationship, and I try to support her.